Wages and Salaries

News about Wages and Salaries, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 29, 2015

High demand for workers who can write computer code has spurred wave of career changes across nearly all industries; more workers are enrolling in short courses to learn coding, often at schools that specialize in accelerated digital training; strategy has allowed many to transition from low five-figure salaries to compensation in the six-figure range. MORE

Jul. 28, 2015

Editorial calls on New York Gov Andrew Cuomo to push for enacting rules proposed by NY Labor Dept to limit payroll cards; notes that while these prepaid debit cards are efficient way for businesses to pay workers, fees associated with cards can negatively impact wages. MORE

Jul. 25, 2015

Bureau of Labor Statistics study finds that pay for those in top of fields like media and art and entertainment was six times greater than pay at bottom of those fields in 2014, up from four times greater in 2007; finding adds to growing evidence of trend in which workers at lower end of pay scale, even those with college degrees, are seeing only modest income gains even as at higher end pay is increasing at rapid rate. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column points to major changes in economists' understanding of role of public policy in labor market, firmly grounded in evidence, that support Hillary Rodham Clinton's assertion that government should do more to increase American wages; suggests those who criticize Clinton for offering different policies than those of Pres Bill Clinton do not acknowledge virtue of changing policy recommendations according to best available evidence. MORE

Jul. 1, 2015

Editorial supports Labor Dept proposal to update overtime-pay rules; holds proposal, including plan to raise salary threshold for overtime, would elevate millions of Americans to middle class, right economic imbalances and modernize overtime salaries that have remained same since 1970s; contends no party or politician who opposes overtime reform can truly claim to care about middle class. MORE

Jul. 1, 2015

Jun. 22, 2015

Op-Ed article by policy expert Fran Sussner Rodgers praises little-noticed change to Fair Labor Standards Act that will at least double salary threshold under which workers qualify for time and a half overtime pay; observes supporters anticipate overall economic benefit; argues best part of change is that it pushes back against a corporate culture that increasingly treats workers' time as an inexhaustible resource. MORE

Jun. 8, 2015

Chronicle of Higher Education survey finds presidents of public universities have seen rise not only in salaries, but also in bonuses and perks such as housing, cars and maid service; reports their median pay for 2014 was 50 times median student tuition. MORE

Jun. 4, 2015

Walmart, by agreeing to raise average store temperatures by 1 degree for most of its locations, is hoping to be viewed as a more caring employer; company is also raising starting wage for over 100,000 managers in United States, following February raise for half-million entry-level workers; efforts at increasing employee satisfaction are due in part to rising competition from reviving job market. MORE

Jun. 3, 2015

Walmart will raise starting pay for some 100,000 of its managers to at least $13 an hour, with some receiving as much as $24.70 an hour; previous range had been $10.30 to $20.90 an hour. MORE

May. 21, 2015

McDonald’s shuts restaurant near its headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill, after area is swamped by protesters calling for higher wages and union representation. MORE

May. 17, 2015

The Upshot; Tyler Cowen Economic View column observes that persistent post-recession trends like slow real wage growth and low labor participation may in fact be evidence of permanent shifts that could force nation to scale back its economic ambitions; examines several negative trends that could lie beyond the reach of public policy, including two-tier wage structures in the manufacturing sector. MORE

May. 11, 2015

New York Gov Andrew M Cuomo announces immediate emergency measures to limit wage theft and health hazards faced by thousands of workers in state's nail salon industry; new multiagency task force will work to educate employers, enforce new rules and demand back pay; salons that do not comply will be shut down; moves follow New York Times investigation revealing widespread exploitation of manicurists nationwide. MORE

May. 9, 2015

Editorial charges that Republican efforts to repeal laws ensuring fair pay for workers on publicly financed projects amounts to assault on worker welfare and labor unions that will benefit neither workers nor taxpayers; contends most workers are already not paid enough; warns Republican effort may result in voters turning away from them at polls. MORE

May. 7, 2015

Indiana Gov Mike Pence approves Republican-backed measure that would repeal law setting wages for state and local government construction projects. MORE

May. 3, 2015

Republican lawmakers in several states are endeavoring to overturn laws setting prescribed wages on public construction projects; critics warn that moves will lower wages and are part of Republican effort to weaken unions; Republicans say bills will help budgets of struggling cities and taxpayers. MORE

Apr. 22, 2015

Workers across Russia, unhappy over unwanted days off and unpaid wages, are beginning to protest and go on strike, in first nationwide unrest against Pres Vladimir V Putin's economic plan; economy is hurting from sanctions and falling energy prices; strikes uncover discontent rarely seen in country. MORE

Apr. 22, 2015

The Upshot; Hamilton Project research group at Brookings Institution finds dipping pay levels in nearly all sectors that employ less-educated American workers, trend that hints both at automation and globalization, as well as greater efficiency and more robust bargaining power for employers. MORE

Apr. 22, 2015

Eduardo Porter Economic Scene column argues that job markets across the industrialized world, and particularly in America, are failing to keep hardworking people out of poverty; cites so-called 'Big Mac' test, which demonstrates how real wages for McDonald's workers have stagnated and declined during past decade of overall economic growth; examines potential policy solutions, including a dramatic shift toward income redistribution. MORE

Apr. 20, 2015

Gravity Payments chief executive Daniel J Price's announcement that he will cut his million-dollar salary to $70,000 a year to help finance raises for more than half of his 120-person staff invites flurry of activity on social media; some say move is shrewd, while critics call it foolish. MORE

Apr. 14, 2015

Editorial notes, on occasion of Equal Pay Day, that progress toward closing gender pay gap has stalled in last decade, and that persistence of gap lends more and more credence to idea that it is primarily result of discrimination; observes congressional Republicans have thrice blocked consideration of bill that would extend federal contractor pay-equity rules to entire American work force; suggests issue should be prominent in 2016 presidential election. MORE

Apr. 14, 2015

Gravity Payments founder Dan Price says he will raise salary of all 120 staffers to minimum of $70,000 over next three years; his plan illuminates disparity between skyrocketing pay of chief executives and that of their employees. MORE

Apr. 7, 2015

United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission finds that New York City has discriminated against minorities and women by substantially paying them less than their white male counterparts, and recommends that city pay $246 million in back wages and other damages. MORE

Apr. 7, 2015

Domino's Pizza chief executive Patrick Doyle tells CNBC that company will have to raise its base pay to remain competitive with other, similar companies; higher wages will only affect employees at restaurants owned by the company, not those at franchises. MORE

Apr. 6, 2015

Rachel L Swarns The Working Life column observes that while labor activists have criticized $1-per-hour wage increases for some MacDonald's workers as insufficient, they are nonetheless proof of movement's growing influence; notes groups have vowed to continue agitating for change. MORE

Apr. 3, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column submits wage increase announced by McDonald's may be indicator of positive change in United States labor relations; says move supports argument that raising wages is possible without negative economic fallout; disputes conventional argument that globalization and technology make wage raises impossible and argues doing so is likely to strengthen economy overall. MORE

Apr. 2, 2015

McDonald's announces that it will raise wages and offer new benefits to 90,000 employees at outlets it owns and operates, in response to competition in job market and campaigns that have drawn attention to company's wage policies; decision will not affect 750,000 employees at McDonald's franchises. MORE

Mar. 24, 2015

On average, male nurses make $5,100 more than female nurses, a new study says. MORE

Mar. 24, 2015

Judge Michael H Dolinger rules that Ji Sung Yoo, owner of Korean restaurant Kum Gang San in Queens, and two restaurant managers owe 11 employees $2.67 million in wages; company has yet to pay $1.95 million in damages for wages owed to 66 employees as part of separate investigation that finished in 2010. MORE

Mar. 22, 2015

Editorial cautions that economic forecasters who hope Easter shopping and warmer weather will boost economy are making familiar mistake of relying on seasonal upswings; warns these have not heralded enduring improvement in economy for years; underscores need for policy changes like increase of minimum wage and tougher trade pacts to strengthen wage growth and overall economy. MORE

Mar. 21, 2015

Editorial contends time for Obama administration and Labor Department to overhaul nation's outdated rules on overtime pay is running out, with February deadline for proposal having passed; says White House should strive to meet demands for threshold of at least $1,000 per week at which salaried workers cease to be eligible for overtime; warns that failure to act could result in no changes to law if Republican president is elected in 2016. MORE

Mar. 19, 2015

Some of Japan's most prominent companies announce largest pay increases in years, including Toyota, Panasonic and Hitachi; announcements are most substantial results from efforts on part of Prime Min Shinzo Abe to pressure country's businesses to raise workers' pay, part of broader economic growth plans. MORE

Mar. 19, 2015

Target says it will raise pay of its workers to at least $9 per hour, joining other large retailers that have been under pressure from labor groups. MORE

Mar. 7, 2015

Labor Dept reports employers increased payrolls by 295,000 jobs in February, briging unemployment rate down to 5.5 percent, but that wages continue to lag and rose only 0.1 percent for private-sector workers; report spurs new round of optimism despite wage numbers and speculation that Federal Reserve may raise interest rates earlier rather than later. MORE

Mar. 2, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column notes Walmart's decision to raise wages for a half million of its workers will likely positively affect entire economy; holds change demonstrates how wage rates are a matter of choice rather than result of traditional market forces; argues that even wider-scale raises are certainly feasible, and would have a powerful net benefit for the country as a whole. MORE

Feb. 26, 2015

Labor activists are putting stronger focus on longstanding demand that retailers like Walmart grant their employees more work hours, and more consistency in scheduling those hours; change of focus comes as Walmart commits to wage increases and other retailers follow suit. MORE

Feb. 20, 2015

Walmart says it will raise wages for half-million of its employees to minimum of $9 per hour by April and at least $10 by February 2016; changes come as company faces scrutiny for its labor practices, and as much-improved job market has made it difficult for them to maintain high rate of employee turnover; labor advocates say increase is insufficient. MORE

Feb. 20, 2015

Jim Dwyer About New York column notes that coalition of legal groups and labor advocates is set to introduce bill calling for changes in New York law that will help workers cheated out of wages to collect what they are owed; collection can be made difficult by companies that are skilled at shifting or hiding their assets. MORE

Feb. 7, 2015

Harvey Araton On Pro Basketball notes former Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, who decided to skip 2015 WNBA season for more pay from her Russian team, is making more than $1.5 million this season in Russia; says that if Taurasi stayed in WNBA she would have made only a little more than $100,000; suggests WNBA, in effort to keep its best players, offer bonuses to players who limit overseas commitments to three months. MORE

Feb. 5, 2015

Ford announces that it will add 1,550 jobs at four plants in United States to meet increased demand for new pickup truck; move will result in 300 to 500 entry-level employees moving up to $28-an-hour wage earned by longtime factory workers. MORE

Jan. 31, 2015

City officials confirm that senior members of Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration will receive raises of about 6 percent over next three years. MORE

Jan. 26, 2015

Chief executives of successful companies may deserve handsome pay packages, but how do you value the contribution of the average worker? MORE

Jan. 15, 2015

The Upshot; report sponsored by Washington research group Center for American Progress finds that while wages for poor and middle class have stagnated in United States, they have risen in countries that intervene more with free market, provide more education to poor children and give employees more power in workplace; proposes solutions including more tax breaks for middle class and fewer for executive compensation. MORE

Jan. 14, 2015

The Upshot; new data suggests American workers, who have long struggled with wage stagnation, may have good reason to expect raises in 2015; positive trends include more job openings, strong optimism among small businesses and announcement by giant insurer Aetna that it will raise its minimum hourly pay to $16, an average 11 percent increase for its claims administrators and other low-level workers. MORE

Jan. 10, 2015

Labor Dept reports total employment numbers were up in December 2014 and unemployment rate improved to 5.6 percent; while numbers offer positive outlook for United States economy in 2015, decline in average hourly earnings suggests that economic recovery is still incomplete; combination of low unemployment and low wages complicates matters for Federal Reserve, which is expected to raise interest rates in 2015 for first time in years. MORE